Grab means for a number of load units

ABSTRACT

A grab means for handling a number of load units arranged on longitudinally extending beams, and cross beams on which the longitudinally extending beams are mounted for movement towards and from each other. A pantograph-like device is connected between the longitudinally extending beams so that if they move towards and from each other this device expands or contracts. Carried by the longitudinally extending beams are extensible structures, which may be likewise pantograph-like, which are mounted on the beams by carriages so that they can expand or contract. These are connected with the first pantograph-like arrangement so that they also expand or contract as the longitudinal beams are moved towards and from each other.

United States Patent Karlsson Jan. 14, 1975 [54] GRAB MEANS FOR A NUMBER OF LOAD 3,609,938 10/1971 Paddock 294/87 R X UNITS 3,610,673 10/1971 Strombeck et al 294/65 Inventor: Signar Karlsson, Sundsvall, Sweden Allmanna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, Vasteras, Sweden Filed: Jan. 12, 1973 Appl. No.: 323,275

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 18, 1972 Sweden 537/72 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Hirt 294/64 R Harris et al. 294/65 Sederlund et al. 294/64 R X Koch et al. 294/87 A Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry [57] ABSTRACT A grab means for handling a number of load units arranged on longitudinally extending beams, and cross beams on which the longitudinally extending beams are mounted for movement towards and from each other. A pantograph-like device is connected between the longitudinally extending beams so that if they move towards and from each other this device expands or contracts. Carried by the longitudinally extending beams are extensible structures, which may be likewise pantograph-like, which are mounted on the beams by carriages so that they can expand or contract. These are connected with the first pantographlike arrangement so that they also expand or contract as the longitudinal beams are moved towards and from each other.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures GRAB MEANS FOR A NUMBER OF LOAD UNITS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows section I I according to FIG. 2,

The invention relates to a grab means for handling whereas FIGS. 2 and 3 show sections II II and III load units.

2. The Prior Art The present invention relates to a grab means with a number of horizontally adjustable grasping members for handling a corresponding number of load units, the grasping members being arranged in two lines with variable, substantially equal mutual distances by being suspended in two extensible longitudinal elements suspended in the grab means with a variable mutual distance.

The load units in question may, for example, be paper rolls, and the grasping members are suitably formed as suction cups although magnetic grasping members for lifting magnetic load units are possible. The load units are suitably arranged in a pattern, for exemple in two lines, and the idea is that the grasping members of the grab means are to be able to adapt themselves to this pattern.

For this purpose, then, the distances between the grasping members must be variable, both in longitudinal and latitudinal directions, which can be achieved by adjusting the longitudinal elements manually. In order to obtain this, the extensible longitudinal elements may be suspended in cross beams allowing adjusting of the distance in the latitudinal direction.

Instead of adjusting manually, it is possible to use particular operating devices, for example hydraulic, pneumatic or electrically driven, and such devices are previously known but quite complicated.

According to the invention, it is now suggested to arrange operating devices in the cross beams while at the same time the longitudinal elements are mutually connected to pantograph-like link connections, by means of which the adjustment in the latitudinal direction from said operating devices is transferred to the longitudinal adjustment in the longitudinal elements. In this way, the grasping members will always form the same geometrical pattern, but with a variable distance between the grasping members. This pattern may be varied by making the cross beams turnable in a horizontal direction, and in this way the grasping members in the two lines can be positioned exactly opposite each other or be displaced in relation to each other.

According to a further development of the invention, the longitudinal elements and the grasping members and also the link connections between the longitudinal elements are suitably detachable from the grab means so that this part can be replaced. In this way, it is possible to have different exchangeable sets with different numbers of grasping members and a different adjustment range, making it possible to handle loads of widely varying dimensions with the same grab means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In other respects the invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIGS. 1 3 show different views of a grab means according to the invention, whereas FIG. 4 shows a variant of FIGS. 1 3 regarding the longitudinal elements and how they are connected.

III, respectively, according to FIG. I. The grab means according to these three Figures consists of a chassis l in which two turnable discs 2 are arranged, said discs supporting cross beams consisting of pairs of U-beams 3,3. Between said U-beams carriages 4 run on rolls, in which carriages the longitudinal elements are sus pended.

Each longitudinal element consists of one l-beam 5, on which two carriages 6 are run, one at each end. Between the carriages 6 and the grasping members in the form of suction cups 7, a system of pantographexpanders is arranged, namely length-expanders 8 and transverse-expanders 9 for suspension of the grasping members 7. As the carriages 6 run towards each other or away from each other, the expanders 8 will be shortened or lengthened, and in this way the distance between the grasping members 7 in the longitudinal direction will be changed. For the sake of balance, the centre of the expanders 8 is fixed to a bracket 11 in the middle of the I-beam 5.

The displacement of the longitudinal elements in relation to each other in the latitudinal direction is done by displacing the carriages 4 in the cross beams 3. As is clear from FIG. 2, this can be achieved, for example, by means of a hydraulic operating device 10. In place of a hydraulic operating device, a motor-operated spin v dle device or the like is possible. These operating de vices 10 in the two cross beams 3, 3 should at least to some extent be synchronized with each other. A supplementary synchronization is however achieved by means of the transverse expanders 9 which are connected to the length-expanders 8. An alteration of the adjustment of the operating devices 10 will thus result in an alteration of the length and also the width of the transverse expanders 9. This alteration of the width (height) of these transverse expanders, however, will give cause for the same alteration of the width (height) of the length-expanders because of the connections with the length-expanders at top and bottom, and this in turn will cause an alteration of the length of the length-expanders 8. In this way, length-expanders and transverse expanders will together form a pantographlike system, which ensures that the distances between the suction cups 7 will always be equally independent of the variation in this common distance. On the lefthand side of FIG. 1 the system has been shown contracted to almost the smallest distance between the suction cups, whereas the right-hand side of FIG. I shows the suction cups separated from each other. To conserve space, the outermost part of the length-expander 8 with the outermost suction cup 7 has been omitted on the right-hand side of FIG. 1.

Instead of positioning the operating devices 10 in the cross beams 3, they can be arranged in a longitudinal direction and in that case suitably between the brackets 11 and the carriages 6. For the sake of simplicity, however, this arrangement has not been shown in the drawing. With longitudinal operating devices the adjusting in lateral direction will be effected through the influence that the length-expanders 8 exert on the transverse-expanders 9.

The I-beams 5 are suitably detachably attached to the carriages 4 so that these together with the system of length and transverse expanders 8, 9 and the suction cups 7 can be exchanged for another system, for example with another number of suction cups of another diameter and with another adjustment range. In this way the grab means can be used for a large number of small load units as well as for a small number of large load units.

In FIG. 3 the suction cups 7 have been arranged in a rectangular, or rather square, pattern. But by turning the disc 2 a certain angle v, the two longitudinal elements and therefore the two lines of suction cups 7 can be displaced in relation to each other, so that, for example, the suction cups in one line will be positioned just opposite the gaps between the suction cups of the other line, corresponding to an angle of rotation v 30.

Instead of suspending the suction cups 7 in expander systems as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a system of telescopically arranged beams 12, 14 could be used, mounted on the I-beams 5 as indicated in FIG. 4. In order to achieve a synchronous motion of the pairs of beams 12 and 14 in the longitudinal as well as the latitudinal direction, each pair of beams may be connected to link arms 13 and 15, respectively, which in this case will work as the pantograph-connection between the longitudinal elements. In place of the links 13 and 15, it would be possible to have line connections between the different parts in the longitudinal elements. It is also clear that the number of telescope links in the longitudinal elements must correspond to the number of suction cups.

. The system of cross beams 3 and carriages 4 can be replaced by, for example, telescope beams or expanders of the same shape as the expanders 8 and 9. In this connection it should be pointed out, however, that such expanders replacing the cross beams 3 are to be at tached to the longitudinal beams 5 and thus cannot be connected to the expanders 8, since the various links of these expanders move in and out in the longitudinal direction, whereas the cross beams or their substitutes are attached in suspensions 2.

The chassis or framework 1 is suitably provided with a hook or similar suspension means (not shown), so that it could be hung in a crane of some kind.

I claim:

1. Grab means having a plurality of horizontally adjustable grasping members (7) for handling a corresponding number of load units comprising two parallel longitudinal supporting elements extending in the longitudinal direction of the grab means, a pair of parallel cross beams fixed with respect to each other, means supporting the supporting elements on the cross beams for movement towards and from each other, extensible means, means connecting each of the extensible means to one of the supporting elements at at least three spaced points, said extensible means carrying said grasping members, and means operatively connected to said extensible means to expand and contract said extensible means, said extensible means comprising a set of first pantograph-like links, and the connecting means comprising at least two members slidable on each of the supporting elements and a third member fixed on each supporting element.

2. Grab means as claimed in claim 1, in which means are provided mounting the cross beams for angular adjustment with respect to the longitudinal direction of the supporting elements.

3. Grab means as claimed in claim 1, in which the supporting elements comprise rails and carriages are provided running along the rails for supporting the extensible means thereon.

4. Grab means as claimed in claim 1 in which further extensible means are provided for connecting said longitudinal supporting elements in a transverse direction, said further extensible means comprising pantographlike links.

5. Grab means as claimed in claim 4, in which said pantographlike links comprise a plurality of crossing pairs of bars pivotally connected at at least two points, and in which the crossing bars of the ends of the second pantograph-like links are connected at two points to different bars of the first pantograph-like links. 

1. Grab means having a plurality of horizontally adjustable grasping members (7) for handling a corresponding number of load units comprising two parallel longitudinal supporting elements extending in the longitudinal direction of the grab means, a pair of parallel cross beams fixed with respect to each other, means supporting the supporting elements on the cross beams for movement towards and from each other, extensible means, means connecting each of the extensible means to one of the supporting elements at at least three spaced points, said extensible means carrying said grasping members, and means operatively connected to said extensible means to expand and contract said extensible means, said extensible means comprising a set of first pantograph-like links, and the connecting means comprising at least two members slidable on each of the supporting elements and a third member fixed on each supporting element.
 2. Grab means as claimed in claim 1, in which means are provided mounting the cross beams for angular adjustment with respect to the longitudinal direction of the supporting elements.
 3. Grab means as claimed in claim 1, in which the supporting elements comprise rails and carriages are provided running along the rails for supporting the extensible means thereon.
 4. Grab means as claimed in claim 1 in which further extensible means are provided for connecting said longitudinal supporting elements in a transverse direction, said further extensible means comprising pantograph-like links.
 5. Grab means as claimed in claim 4, in which said pantographlike links comprise a plurality of crossing pairs of bars pivotally connected at at least two points, and in which the crossing bars of the ends of the second pantograph-like links are connected at two points to different bars of the first pantoGraph-like links. 